Health: Blood test could identify early stage Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s
disease is notoriously difficult to treat, with devastating consequences for
patients and their families. But scientists are now closer to a
test that could spot the disease in its early stages, The New
York Times reports.
The blood
test measures the levels of tau, a protein known to form clusters called
tangles, which spread through the brain in Alzheimer’s patients. Three
different research groups found that the test was able to correctly distinguish
between patients with Alzheimer’s disease and those with other neurodegenerative
conditions 89% of the time.
It
was more accurate than MRI scans, and performed as well as positron emission
tomography scans and spinal fluid tests, according to studies presented
yesterday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. It is also
much less invasive. Although the test cannot predict whether someone will
develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life, it could lead to earlier diagnoses
and help doctors distinguish between Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia,
the team says.
AGM
Link
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire